


Biting a Bullet

by misura



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Power Swap, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-16
Updated: 2012-06-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 16:13:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/541385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Charles isn't quite sure how he goes from making a fairly decent living stealing cars to traveling around the globe with someone who thinks Charles's gift is just the thing to help him dodge bullets while chasing Nazis and other bad guys.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Biting a Bullet

**Author's Note:**

> rated for language and the occasionally implied use of weapons

Charles isn't quite sure how he goes from making a fairly decent living stealing cars to traveling around the globe with someone who thinks Charles's gift is just the thing to help him dodge bullets while chasing Nazis and other bad guys.

It's an Erik thing, most likely. Erik is soft-spoken and quiet and also apparently someone who can read other people's minds, which makes it much easier to find out their dirty little secrets.

Or their dirty _big_ secrets.

 

"For fuck's sake," Charles says, panting and a little bit angry because he feels one of them has to be, and Erik's about as emotional as a brick, most of the time.

Charles likes to think it's just an act. "Language."

"Those are a _lot_ of people that are trying to fucking kill us," Charles says, tossing in the expletive mostly to remind Erik who's the one making an effort here and who's the one taking that effort for granted. A burst of gunfire as Erik cautiously gets up nicely emphasizes his point.

None of the bullets come within five feet of them, and not _just_ because the guards all have graduated from the stormtrooper's academy of marksmanship.

"They're still thinking that if they simply keep firing, sooner or later, they'll hit us," Erik says, brushing off his trousers and holding out a hand to help Charles get up. "Idiots."

Charles ignores the hand. He doesn't need Erik's help. "Yes, you're very welcome."

Erik sighs. "Thank you for saving your own life, Charles."

"I bloody well saved yours, too."

"Unlikely," Erik says. "Although I'll admit you make all this a lot easier. It's appreciated."

There used to be a time when stopping even a single bullet would have required concentration. It's why Erik's still got a car. Charles isn't sure what it says about him that he's opted to stick around with a guy who's once pointed a gun at his head for no good reason.

Of course, it's not as if Erik would have actually _shot_ him. Probably.

"Careful there. That almost sounded like a compliment."

"Yes," Erik says. "Well, then, shall we go? I believe we shall find our man in that building over there."

"The one with even more men with guns in front of it? Wonderful."

 

Erik is fluent in at least six languages. Charles strongly suspects his telepathy helps, but Erik claims it's pure hard work and study, with one of those half-smiles of his that gently and yet oh-so pointedly remind Charles that unlike Erik, Charles himself is only vaguely acquainted with the second and has spent most of his life dodging the first.

"Successfully," Charles says, out loud.

 _"Charles, please. Behave."_ Erik smiles and raises his glass, toasting a man he might very well be thinking about killing or mind-wringing for information.

"I was a very successful car thief," Charles tells the woman to the left of him. She smiles back at him uncertainly. "Never got caught even once."

_"She doesn't speak a word of English. Be grateful. Oh, and you did get caught. By me."_

_"That doesn't count."_ Charles hasn't quite worked out how you can tell when someone's trying to steal your car by telepathy. Still, the evidence speaks for itself.

In theory, Charles supposes it _might_ be that it was attraction at first sight. Notice a hot guy, pay extra attention to him ... spot him trying to steal your car. As far as theories go, it's as good an alternative as any for the 'telepaths have special car alarms' one.

 _"From the moment I saw you, I knew you were like me,"_ Erik says. _"That I wasn't alone."_

_"You'd never have shot me."_

_"Of course I'd have shot you. If there was one other person like me, there would have to be more. And you_ were _trying to steal my car at the time."_

"My boyfriend is an utter dick," Charles tells the lady to his right.

"Tell me about it," she says. "Men."

 

"You're a monster," the man tells Erik, and Charles thinks that, really, it's not as if he's wrong.

At times like these, Erik _is_ a monster. Merciless and inhuman and untouchable, because Charles is keeping away all the bullets and the knives and whatever else anyone might try to stop him with, so long as it's got even the tiniest bit of metal in it.

Charles may never have killed a man in cold blood, but he's as guilty as Erik is.

_"What guilt is there, in ridding the world of one such as this?"_

_"He's still a man. A fellow human being."_

Erik's got a gun, too, and knives, and many more things made out of metal. Charles can feel them. He could stop this, stop _Erik_ , if he chose to. If he wanted to.

_"So were his victims."_

 

"No, really," Charles says, while Erik turns his head to look out of the window, because it's an old argument and a new country out there. "We could be doing something else. Something more."

 _"More what? More innocent?"_ Erik sounds amused. _"Don't you think it's a little bit too late for that, Charles?"_

Charles is tempted to believe Erik is referring to the car, which Charles has stolen from someone Erik has assured him deserved it. Charles thought better of asking why at the time. They needed a car, and it's not as if stealing one is anything new.

"You said that when you met me, you knew there were more people like me. Like us," Charles says.

Erik stops studying the landscape. "I did say that."

"We could find them," Charles says.

"And?"

"And make sure they're all right. I don't know." Charles isn't used to thinking about other people, really, but he feels that perhaps it would be nice to try. To live not simply for himself.

_"I'm sorry, am I boring you?"_

"When you were young, wouldn't you have liked for someone to come along and tell you you weren't alone? That there were other people out there with special powers, just like you?"

"It worked out for you and me well enough."

"You're a murderer and I'm a car thief," Charles says flatly. "Frankly, I'd have to say things could have worked out better."

Erik half-smiles. "Could they? All right then, I'll play along. You find us someone, and I'll do my part in keeping them safe."

"The idea was to talk to them. To help them deal with being special."

_"Talking isn't really my specialty. You can take care of that part."_

"Will you at least help me find them? Your gift - "

_"Your pet project, your problem. Wake me when we get there?"_


End file.
